The vertebrae and ribs were excavated in 2007 and 2010, near the city of Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez) in northernmost Madagascar, Sertich said.

It may have taken years to confirm, but those parts in some dinosaurs are distinct, so the research team was able to confirm the new species, he said.

“This dinosaur was closely related to other famous dinosaurs from the southern continents, like the horned Carnotaurus from Argentina and Majungasaurus, also from Madagascar,” Sertich said. “This just reinforces the importance of exploring new areas around the world where undiscovered dinosaur species are still waiting.”

A self-described “dinosaur-loving kid who never grew up,” Sertich has discovered about a dozen dino species and named a couple, he said.

“It’s not uncommon to find new things when looking in new areas,” Sertich said of the success throughout his career.

From these new bones discovered in the riverbed of a cliff, Sertich and his team have determined the Dahalokely tokana would have been between 9 and 14 feet long and lived about 90 million years ago, Sertich said.

That period of time is significant because it helps to fill a gap in the fossil record, Sertich said.

Until now, no dinosaur remains from between 165 and 70 million years ago could be identified to the species level in Madagascar, but Dahalokely shortens that gap by 20 million years, Sertich said.

The bones are currently in Denver, but Sertich said it is unclear whether they will be displayed.

The name Dahalokely tokana is from the Malagasy language, meaning “lonely small bandit.”